Free CAD program!

Posted by: Xterrian

Free CAD program! - 02/07/05 12:46 PM

CLICK HERE

I'm not affiliated with this company, I just want 100,000 people to sign up so I can get my copy.
Posted by: Aero Steve

Re: Free CAD program! - 02/07/05 04:14 PM

Signed up. [ThumbsUp]
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Free CAD program! - 02/07/05 05:44 PM

I don't know what this is, but some how I don't think its going to happen in one month.
Posted by: 01SalsaXterra

Re: Free CAD program! - 02/07/05 08:29 PM

Very interesting.
Kinda frustrating that there is no demo version to download or any teaser download, etc..
Even autocad has demos for download..

If this does materialize, I wonder what Autodesk wil do in response to this.
Will they just buy X-cad then squash it?

Or just ignore them, and continue to produce the same shit like they've been doing for the past 10 years. :rolleyes:

I hate autocad with a passion, but just because its my industries standard means I have to deal with it every single day. [Finger] bastards...

Anyway.. I signed up, but it doesnt look like its going to happen.
Posted by: Rickster43

Re: Free CAD program! - 02/07/05 10:35 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by 01SalsaXterra:
I hate autocad with a passion, but just because its my industries standard means I have to deal with it every single day.
Anyway.. I signed up, but it doesnt look like its going to happen.
Yup...signed up too...Hey, Salsa..why do hate using AutoCad, I'm a Cadd Tech at a Civil Engineering Firm, and use both AutoCad and Microstation...even though I know Microstation like the back of my hand, I rather use AutoCad, I just think it's more user-friendly and alot smarter than Microstation...
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Free CAD program! - 03/07/05 07:45 AM

i also use autocad every day. i do electrical and mechanical drafting. ive been doing it for 4 yrs now, and im ready for something different. i am also learning solidworks for modeling purposes.
Posted by: NismoXse02

Re: Free CAD program! - 03/07/05 09:03 AM

I use AutoCAD everyday too. AutoCAD is what it is... The best "2D" drafting program out there, hands down. Nothing even comes close. There's really not much more they can do to it which is why it seems they are releasing the same thing every year. Now, their working on the ol' philosophy, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." However, 2005 is better than 2006 for that very reason.

Anyway, the 3D programs for architecture and building are still very weak in my opinion. I love Revit and ArchiCAD but it sucks for residential. I love Softplan and Chief Architect, but it sucks for commercial. And this new X-CAD program seems like it will be just another modeler program like Max and Viz which does me no good. frown Oh well, we're getting there, I hope.
Posted by: 01SalsaXterra

Re: Free CAD program! - 03/07/05 09:07 AM

Quote:
Hey, Salsa..why do hate using AutoCad
I'm an architect, and have been using autocad since 9th grade, Autocad 10.
I didnt realize how much Autodesk products corrupt your thinking until I tried another program.
Archicad is a great program, Vectorworks was a good program, and better than both was Rev-it (squashed by autodesk)..

Just because Autocad is the industry standard doesnt make it the best or ideal program for my profession.
I have been using Architectural Desktop 3.3, 2004 and 2005 for my job and I have found severe limitations and bugs that frustrate employers and employees.
It just seems like even if you know other programs (archicad, Rev-it)as an employee, you are stuck using Autocad because the majority of offices use Autocad..
Im just a little bitter. laugh
LOL.. I hope this X-cad thing works out, I've been looking for new programs to play with.
Posted by: DocNo

Re: Free CAD program! - 03/07/05 09:50 AM

Wow.... I used AutoCAD starting with release 9 - the good 'ol days of '286s and copying the overlay files to RAM disks for speed.

Anyway, when using other programs like Visio, I still find myself pining for extend and trim. Zoom Extents.... I had a lot of fun with AtuoCAD, and AutoLISP as well - that was the truly great thing about AutoCAD - you could extend it in any way you want to. We had one of our engineers that was a genius in AutoLISP - everything was automated. I came back around 2000 to visit and he had written an AutoLISP routine that would take a 3D Mesh, and a polyline representing the centerline for a road, and a whole bunch of parameters that you set and create a road bed, with the appropriate cuts to get the proper elevation - would even tell you how much fill you would generate or require - cool stuff! I think he's retired now...
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Free CAD program! - 03/07/05 09:12 PM

well ive never done any architecural work, but most of the drawings i do are just 2D stuff(wiring diagrams, harness builds, mechanical build ups, rack designs, etc). ive done 3D in CAD (scale models of airplanes) and its not all that great. try taking 4,000 points and connecting the dots to make an airplane....thats what i do. we are trying to switch everything over to solidworks just because you can do so much more and its alot faster then autoCAD. im going to take some classes on inventer and GIS this fall.
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Free CAD program! - 04/07/05 08:32 AM

WOW!!! I never knew there were this may CAD people here!! I've been using AutoCAD for around 17 years. I actually started my CAD experience on Claris CAD on the MAC, but switched to AutoCAD about 15 years ago. I work in a Structural Engineers office. Hell, with the professionals we have here, we could design our own buildings from start to finish with no problems!!

I personally love AutoCAD, but I don't use the 3D feature of it AT ALL!!! Yet, I do still find limitatations to what it is capable of in 2D. Structures don't need to see what the 3D looks like. We just need to make sure it won't fall down! wink I like AutoCAD alot, but alot of the CAD techs and architecs that we use have no idea how to back-check their work!!! It's so frustrating trying to build a structure off of incorrect architectural drawings becuase someone was too lazy to check their work. In my opinion, nothing will EVER beat drawing everything by hand. THAT is an artform!
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Free CAD program! - 05/07/05 08:49 AM

registered. i used to use autocad, but converted to solidworks 2 years ago. i mainly design machines/tooling/fixtures. from what i have seen, solidworks is the best value out there. extremely easy to use, lots of great features and reasonably priced.

shameless plug, but if anyone needs some cad work done i am available. smile

www.zawalyengineering.com
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Free CAD program! - 05/07/05 08:53 AM

I have been using Autodesk Inventor for about 2 years now. Running 8 here at work and hopefully will be upgrading to 10 shortly.

Edited to add: Just signed up too!
Posted by: monkeyman

Re: Free CAD program! - 05/07/05 09:17 AM

I don't think I'd give up ACAD....been using it for the past 15 years..there is a reason the majority of architectural firms use it....3d is a pain in the ass with it.....but lately i've been using sketchup for schematic 3d design, can't beat the price and results; .02 from a registered architect who uses ACAD daily for CD's and client presentation
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Free CAD program! - 05/07/05 06:55 PM

Registered!

They've gotten 50K in the first month; I bet they can get 100K in the second. Just post this in every forum you're a member of. I know I will.
Posted by: Rickster43

Re: Free CAD program! - 08/07/05 10:07 PM

Those who signed up...did you'll recieve an email from X-Cad yet ?...I got one today...just wondering...
Posted by: Xterrian

Re: Free CAD program! - 08/07/05 10:52 PM

Just got my first e-mail from them. I sure hope this works out. I played with Autocad 18 years ago and was infected with the bug. I'm building a 3D router and want something besides the crappy 3D program I'm using that can't even export to G-Code. I just want to be able to prototype my inventions without going broke.
Posted by: Todrick

Re: Free CAD program! - 08/07/05 11:32 PM

just curiou sif anyof you noticed what number you were?

i was 64672 and 10 minutes ago.

now the countrer is at 64681
Posted by: Todrick

Re: Free CAD program! - 08/07/05 11:33 PM

64682 now.

so it is climbign fairly fast considering it is rather late on a friday night/saturday morning
Posted by: Xterrian

Re: Free CAD program! - 08/07/05 11:44 PM

When I started this thread I was 50,567.
Posted by: Todrick

Re: Free CAD program! - 09/07/05 11:13 AM

65603

i will check at 24 hours and figure out from that if its even possible

BTW google and you can find out who it is that is giving away this software... apparently the first few confirmation emails still had the company domain in the header.
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Free CAD program! - 09/07/05 01:07 PM

Interesting from their Q&A section on the website:

"How is X-CAD able to be given away free?
Yes, we are spending inordinate amounts of money, but we think it is worth it. You get CAD that typically costs thousands of dollars and we get a relationship with you and learn how to make this the best 3D solid modeler on the market today."

If you read into that statement, it looks like the first 100,000 to sign up by August 1st will have the "honor" of being a Beta Tester for a completely new piece of software... Wow. What a deal...

No thank you! Nothing worse than doing a design, and having the dyam program crash on you. [ThumbsDown]
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Free CAD program! - 09/07/05 01:11 PM

I registered too... 65782.
Posted by: Todrick

Re: Free CAD program! - 11/07/05 01:54 AM

so its about 4000 a day and thats a sunday!

we only have 32,000 to go... at this rate that will only take 8 days...

looks liek we are all gonna get soem free software.
Posted by: Todrick

Re: Free CAD program! - 11/07/05 05:23 PM

just gonna post updates occasionaly

70473
Posted by: JSRAIDER

Re: Free CAD program! - 11/07/05 05:43 PM

Site seems a little fishy to me! I have been using Autocad since release 2.1 back on the old 5.25" floppys (some where at home I still have an original disk) and green screens and LDD since Softdesk 6 or 7. Autocad is pretty good at some things and miserable at others. Our current version of LDD is nice but leaves me wishing for more.

Anyone ever heard of a AE program called CDG or GDS or ??? This was the program to have back in '82 for civil engineering, but very expensive $15,000 for one seat.

Check out this site for a pretty cool "gratis" 3D modeling program.
Blender
Posted by: Todrick

Re: Free CAD program! - 11/07/05 09:01 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by JSRAIDER:
Site seems a little fishy to me!
its not fishy.

Blog that caught a minor over sight that gave away who was behind this thing...

I'm not saying who it is in cas eyou guys like the suspense... but I wont be complaining about free software from them.
Posted by: fastdrmr

Re: Free CAD program! - 11/07/05 10:09 PM

70966 and registered.

Revit was onto something very good before it was bought out... now why would Autodesk do such a thing??? Scared?

I use Autocad's Architectural Desktop 3.3 because I have to and not because I want to. I hate the smart 3d objects... they suck! I refuse to use their WALL tool. Autocad does get my vote for being the best 2d program out there... but don't force it into the 3d world that it does not belong in!

For 3d I prefer to use FormZ. I was part of the beta testing for a program developed at the University of Utah Architecture department called Reals. (www.reals3d.com) The 3d world is great!!!

Another route that my office is exploring is 3d Studio VIZ with the V-Ray plug in. Amazing stuff.

I hope something cool comes of this... so is Google behind it? Man they are taking over the world! cool
Posted by: Todrick

Re: Free CAD program! - 12/07/05 10:23 AM

its not google.

it is a known CAD company. although X-CAD could be a completely new product it may simply be version X.X(not giving away anything here) of their current product.

BTW the count is at 72308
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Free CAD program! - 12/07/05 10:41 AM

If everyone who signed up got 1 more person to sign up then we would have our free software.... AutoCAD Inventor all the way.
Posted by: Todrick

Re: Free CAD program! - 14/07/05 11:05 AM

77780

we are doing good to make 100,000
Posted by: Rickster43

Re: Free CAD program! - 14/07/05 04:21 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Todrick:
77780

we are doing good to make 100,000
Wheeeeeeee!!!!!
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Free CAD program! - 19/07/05 04:56 AM

90930 people have signed up, we need 9070 more people in 13 days, which is 700 people per day. We are so going to get our software. Lets do our part and get atleast 1 more person to sign up.
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Free CAD program! - 19/07/05 05:46 AM

I too am an AutoCAD guy...I use LDD 2004 right now at the Surveying/Engineering firm I work at (one of the biggest in the East, and we're hiring!!). Been using AutoCAD since release 10 and it is by far the best drafting program out there for survey/civil work. So much better than that other crap program Microstation...just an awful frustrating program...

But yeah...I love how easy it is to customize AutoCAD with your own menus and layouts. I some visual basic commands and another guy here writes a ton of lisp programs for it as well.

It has it's share of problems but it is still the best out there...

And to you architectural guys out there...STOP TAKING OUR DRAWINGS OUT OF THE RIGHT DATUMS (CORRDINATE SYSTEM)!!!! For the love of god...when we send a drawing in the right UCS and all the coordinates right, why do you feel the need to take it and rotate it all over the place then when you send it back to us for the stakeout its all F'ed up... mad
Posted by: Strider

Re: Free CAD program! - 19/07/05 06:22 AM

Quote:
And to you architectural guys out there...STOP TAKING OUR DRAWINGS OUT OF THE RIGHT DATUMS (CORRDINATE SYSTEM)!!!! For the love of god...when we send a drawing in the right UCS and all the coordinates right, why do you feel the need to take it and rotate it all over the place then when you send it back to us for the stakeout its all F'ed up... [Mad]
lol Been there before..... But, the architects aren't the worst. I remember some of the first surveying work I was involved in dealt with a coal company that had developed its own datum that was "close" (their words) to NAD-27. Funny thing was, they had used it for so long (30+ years) nobody knew exactly what the offset was..... Took several days of GPS and conventional work tying everything together onto State Plane to figure it out. Turns out the offset was about 285'. Really raises the pucker factor when you are working underground....
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Free CAD program! - 19/07/05 07:37 AM

Quote:
And to you architectural guys out there...STOP TAKING OUR DRAWINGS OUT OF THE RIGHT DATUMS (CORRDINATE SYSTEM)!!!! For the love of god...when we send a drawing in the right UCS and all the coordinates right, why do you feel the need to take it and rotate it all over the place then when you send it back to us for the stakeout its all F'ed up... mad
Architects don't know what coordinates are. No, really. They don't. I asked one, one time, what coordinate system his file was in, because it wasn't coming anywhere close to where it should be (imagine you're doing a site design in Tennessee, and the building is coming in at, oh, I don't know, somewhere around New Guinea...). Well, when I asked, the line sounded like it went dead. So I asked, again... After hearing him clear his throat, he asked me what did I mean. I told him the survey file was appeared to be in state plane coordinates, but the building file I got from him wasn't anywhere close.... Turns out, they took a corner of the existing structure (which was demo'd by the time the proposed plans were being done), and made that 0,0,0, and arbitrarily started drawing w/ North facing up...

Dear god, make the bad men (architects) stop... I have but one wish... That architects learn what coordinates are. Then, they might actually have their CAD guys learn that you actually can rotate a view AND the UCS, and NOT just the building, so you can still draw w/ ortho, if you so choose... Drives me freaking insane. How do you do a site plan, down to the hundreth of an inch accuracy, if the freaking architect won't put the building where it's supposed to be???
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Free CAD program! - 19/07/05 07:42 AM

Here's another architectual complaint...make the building lines match the dimentions...don't just override the dim text...and hoabout making sure the dimentions work to close the building line...that would be nice...
Posted by: monkeyman

Re: Free CAD program! - 19/07/05 09:09 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by porsche996:
Quote:
[b]And to you architectural guys out there...STOP TAKING OUR DRAWINGS OUT OF THE RIGHT DATUMS (CORRDINATE SYSTEM)!!!! For the love of god...when we send a drawing in the right UCS and all the coordinates right, why do you feel the need to take it and rotate it all over the place then when you send it back to us for the stakeout its all F'ed up... mad
Architects don't know what coordinates are. No, really. They don't. I asked one, one time, what coordinate system his file was in, because it wasn't coming anywhere close to where it should be (imagine you're doing a site design in Tennessee, and the building is coming in at, oh, I don't know, somewhere around New Guinea...). Well, when I asked, the line sounded like it went dead. So I asked, again... After hearing him clear his throat, he asked me what did I mean. I told him the survey file was appeared to be in state plane coordinates, but the building file I got from him wasn't anywhere close.... Turns out, they took a corner of the existing structure (which was demo'd by the time the proposed plans were being done), and made that 0,0,0, and arbitrarily started drawing w/ North facing up...

Dear god, make the bad men (architects) stop... I have but one wish... That architects learn what coordinates are. Then, they might actually have their CAD guys learn that you actually can rotate a view AND the UCS, and NOT just the building, so you can still draw w/ ortho, if you so choose... Drives me freaking insane. How do you do a site plan, down to the hundreth of an inch accuracy, if the freaking architect won't put the building where it's supposed to be???[/b]
wow what a generalization!...yeah all us architects are 'bad men'...yeah civil guys they know what there doing, give 'em floor plans with vertical elevations and they still can't grade a f#$^** site.....i'm sick of doing all the gradng for projects 'cus these dipshits don't know what contours/grades are relative to a building!!!.....that's my rant...time to rotate my ucs back to my customized world system [Finger]
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Free CAD program! - 19/07/05 09:13 AM

lol...like we didn't see that coming...lol...

I'm not a civil guy...I just out the stakes in the ground where the Architect/Civil people tell me to...

tom
Posted by: monkeyman

Re: Free CAD program! - 19/07/05 09:16 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by porsche996:
Quote:
[b]And to you architectural guys out there...STOP TAKING OUR DRAWINGS OUT OF THE RIGHT DATUMS (CORRDINATE SYSTEM)!!!! For the love of god...when we send a drawing in the right UCS and all the coordinates right, why do you feel the need to take it and rotate it all over the place then when you send it back to us for the stakeout its all F'ed up... mad
Architects don't know what coordinates are. No, really. They don't. I asked one, one time, what coordinate system his file was in, because it wasn't coming anywhere close to where it should be (imagine you're doing a site design in Tennessee, and the building is coming in at, oh, I don't know, somewhere around New Guinea...). Well, when I asked, the line sounded like it went dead. So I asked, again... After hearing him clear his throat, he asked me what did I mean. I told him the survey file was appeared to be in state plane coordinates, but the building file I got from him wasn't anywhere close.... Turns out, they took a corner of the existing structure (which was demo'd by the time the proposed plans were being done), and made that 0,0,0, and arbitrarily started drawing w/ North facing up...

Dear god, make the bad men (architects) stop... I have but one wish... That architects learn what coordinates are. Then, they might actually have their CAD guys learn that you actually can rotate a view AND the UCS, and NOT just the building, so you can still draw w/ ortho, if you so choose... Drives me freaking insane. How do you do a site plan, down to the hundreth of an inch accuracy, if the freaking architect won't put the building where it's supposed to be???[/b]
why are you leaving it up to the architect to locate the building on your drawing? Does not seem prudent on your end, you were hired to do the civil/site work, the only file you should be getting from the architect is the footprint and you should be locating it on your own drawing.....i'm always amused by the bashing we architects take but nobody ever wants to actually look at, or god forbid comprehend our drawings....architects are bad blah blah blah they don't know what there doing blah blah blah.....i gotta say for being a 'bad man' and not knowing what i'm doing, i'm doing alright for myself.....bash on!!!
Posted by: monkeyman

Re: Free CAD program! - 19/07/05 09:18 AM

may as well bash the contractors also:

A man is flying in a hot air balloon and realizes he is lost.

He reduces height and spots a man down below. He lowers the balloon further
and shouts: "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised my friend I would meet
him half an hour ago, but I don't know where I am"

The man below says: "Yes, you're in a hot air balloon, hovering 30 feet
above this field at 40.55 deg. North latitude and 120.28 deg. West
longitude"

"You must be an Architect," says the balloonist. "I am" replies the man."How
did you know?" "Well" says the balloonist, "everything you have told me is
technically correct, but it's of absolutely no use to me and I still don't
know where I am."

The man below says, "You must be a contractor.""Well yes" replies the
balloonist, "but how did you know?"

"Well", says the man, "You don't know where you are, or where you're going
and you've made a promise that you can't keep but now you expect me to solve
your problem; and you're in the same position as you were before we met, but
now it's my fault.
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Free CAD program! - 19/07/05 09:28 AM

Quote:
why are you leaving it up to the architect to locate the building on your drawing?
We need the Slab Drawings to do large foundation stakeouts. The Dims on the plans rarely match the actual line lengths in the CAD file so we don't use the footprint on the site layout because the civil guys usually just use the foot print supplied from the architect which as I said before often has discrepancies between the dims and the actual line length in the CAD file.

So when I build the footprint from the dims I have to make sure that the building closes withing about 0.05' which it sometimes does and sometimes doesn't (then I call the architect and make them fix it before I stake it). Then I take it and overlay it on the footprint supplied in the site plan and it rarely matches up...sometimes up to 0.5' off. So then it's another process to make sure that the building we are staking is in the right place...

Not all architects are bad...just seems like the last 3 or 4 that I have delt with have been a PIA who supply me very inaccurate drawings...

Tom
Posted by: monkeyman

Re: Free CAD program! - 19/07/05 09:36 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by tom church:
[QUOTE] The Dims on the plans rarely match the actual line lengths in the CAD file so we don't use the footprint on the site layout because the civil guys usually just use the foot print supplied from the architect which as I said before often has discrepancies between the dims and the actual line length in the CAD file.

Tom
i agree that is F#^$^ up....that should never happen....any dims that are over-ridden should only be done as a last resort and only on interiors of buildings, no dims should be over-ridden that relate to the actual exterior perimeter of a building
Posted by: monkeyman

Re: Free CAD program! - 19/07/05 09:39 AM

my current idiocy:

Posted by: 01SalsaXterra

Re: Free CAD program! - 19/07/05 11:09 AM

Quote:
"Well", says the man, "You don't know where you are, or where you're going
and you've made a promise that you can't keep but now you expect me to solve
your problem; and you're in the same position as you were before we met, but
now it's my fault.
Funny stuff. I forwarded that around my office.
Thanks for the laugh, we need it over here. Work is insane..

Quote:
Here's another architectual complaint...make the building lines match the dimentions...don't just override the dim text...and hoabout making sure the dimentions work to close the building line...that would be nice...
Totally unacceptable in my office.. If anyone explodes dimensions or edits them and gets caught they are screwed... Obviously we arent going to dimension to the nearest fraction of an inch but within an inch is normally acceptable as long as its inside the property lines or matches existing, etc..

We use MEP and Civil consultants even though we are capable of doing everything in house. It just makes sense for us to hire out for it. We have spent a lot of time correcting their work as well, its just part of the industry..
Posted by: NismoXse02

Re: Free CAD program! - 19/07/05 11:48 AM

As both a civil engineer and architect guy (dual degrees), I can verify that civil engineer's are by far the laziest of the two. That can easily be shown by what the civil guys are arguing about in this thread. [LOL]
Posted by: Todrick

Re: Free CAD program! - 19/07/05 01:22 PM

92376

we are SO there
Posted by: KJ_dragon

Re: Free CAD program! - 19/07/05 01:37 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DocNo:
We had one of our engineers that was a genius in AutoLISP - everything was automated. I came back around 2000 to visit and he had written an AutoLISP routine that would take a 3D Mesh, and a polyline representing the centerline for a road, and a whole bunch of parameters that you set and create a road bed, with the appropriate cuts to get the proper elevation - would even tell you how much fill you would generate or require - cool stuff! I think he's retired now...
Land Development Desktop will do that for you too.
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Free CAD program! - 19/07/05 02:06 PM

Yeah that was standard in 2002 I think. Much improved in more recent versions though.

I just wish they would add support for curved breaklines in the Terrain Modeler...and the curved Figure lines don't work worth shit because the field data is never perfect...

Tom
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Free CAD program! - 19/07/05 06:12 PM

92994
i signed up earlier and it was just over 92k. no conformation email yet tho.

man, all this talk about arch. stuff makes me want to stick to my Mechanical and Electrical Drafting work even more. i thought about doing arch. or civil, but i think ya'll have changed my mind. seems like to much work. i'll stick to my complicated Aircraft wiring diagrams and mechanical builds compared to that stuff.
Posted by: Rickster43

Re: Free CAD program! - 19/07/05 06:18 PM

Land Development Desktop is a pretty powerful Civil Software...we use it where I work at pretty much...yeah, and like Tom Church mentioned...we do get Cadd Files from different Architectural Firms mainly for the Slab info and Footprints, and those suckers are almost always in outer space somewhere with a totally diferent coordinate system...
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Free CAD program! - 21/07/05 05:57 AM

ya'll seen this yet?
http://www.alibre.com/xpress/news/press-release.asp
Posted by: ddubbs77

Re: Free CAD program! - 21/07/05 02:59 PM

100002
Posted by: ddubbs77

Re: Free CAD program! - 21/07/05 02:59 PM

Yippy.
Posted by: Todrick

Re: Free CAD program! - 21/07/05 04:01 PM

yup alibre blew it because the first confirmation emails had alibre.com in the mime headers
Posted by: Xterrian

Re: Free CAD program! - 21/07/05 09:01 PM

I think they may have a class action suit against them sometime in the future. Apparently the program isn't all they said it would be. I'll reserve final judgement until I use mine.
Posted by: Todrick

Re: Free CAD program! - 22/07/05 12:18 AM

looks like its a "lite" version of Alibre Design 8.2

but there is really no grounds for a class action suit... we were not harmed, there was no loss of anything.
Posted by: Strider

Re: Free CAD program! - 22/07/05 04:40 AM

It's like they say, if you have to give it away it's probably not worth having.
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Free CAD program! - 22/07/05 12:53 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Strider:
It's like they say, if you have to give it away it's probably not worth having.
Heck no. I bet it's sweet. 8.2 costs about $1000! I'll take a "lite" version for free!
Posted by: Chris Mc

Re: Free CAD program! - 22/07/05 01:18 PM

The "free" version will have embedded Google text ads. Similar to Opera, you can remove the ads for $49.
Posted by: 01SalsaXterra

Re: Free CAD program! - 22/07/05 01:27 PM

Anyone have experience with Autocad 2006 or Architectural Desktop 2006?
My office will be upgrading very soon, and I wanted to know if its much different from ADT 2005?
Any new bugs to look forward to?
Any cool features?
Thanks!!

BTW.. Some of the demos that the big CAD companies offer are fully functional except for save and print, but have no imbedded ads or anything weird..
Posted by: Rickster43

Re: Free CAD program! - 22/07/05 04:05 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by 01SalsaXterra:
....Anyone have experience with Autocad 2006...
man, we are still finding bugs in Autocad 2005,we haven't even gotten 2006 yet...I'm pretty sure they will be alot of bugs in the 2006 version...
Posted by: Rickster43

Re: Free CAD program! - 22/07/05 10:33 PM

Hey, I got my email from X-cad today, They reached their goal, and they are going to email The Free X-Cad Software on August 1...anybody else get this email ?
Posted by: Xterrian

Re: Free CAD program! - 22/07/05 11:06 PM

Yeah, got mine today. Looks like they gave in a little and included shells. It doesn't matter if we paid anything. What if I said I was giving away a truck equal to an Xterra if you registered at my website and then gave you a crappy truck that you couldn't drive anywhere. Can't export 3D DXF files. If I can't convert it to G-Code it's of little use to me. I'm new to CNC so maybe there's something I can do with an STL file, but I've never heard of it. I guess after I retire I'll have to write my own open source 3-D modeler that exports directly to G-Code. Doesn't seem like it should be that hard;)
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Free CAD program! - 27/07/05 11:41 AM

Word is that AutoCAD 2006 will be the first in a series of steps to phase out the command line [ThumbsDown] It'll be there but not like what we know and love.

Tom
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Free CAD program! - 27/07/05 11:51 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Xterrian:
Yeah, got mine today. Looks like they gave in a little and included shells. It doesn't matter if we paid anything. What if I said I was giving away a truck equal to an Xterra if you registered at my website and then gave you a crappy truck that you couldn't drive anywhere. Can't export 3D DXF files. If I can't convert it to G-Code it's of little use to me. I'm new to CNC so maybe there's something I can do with an STL file, but I've never heard of it. I guess after I retire I'll have to write my own open source 3-D modeler that exports directly to G-Code. Doesn't seem like it should be that hard;)
One of my buddies I went to school with works for a company that makes F-16 components. They have huge 150ft bed CNC mills. They use a 3D CAD program called Cativa (it may use a plug in program also)which writes all the code the CNC mills. It also shows you on screen whats being milled and with what tool. Its a very interesting program.
Posted by: NismoXse02

Re: Free CAD program! - 27/07/05 11:58 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by tom church:
Word is that AutoCAD 2006 will be the first in a series of steps to phase out the command line [ThumbsDown] It'll be there but not like what we know and love.

Tom
I'm on AutoCAD 2006 and I still use the command line. There is a new feature in 2006 called "DYN" that is next to OSNAP and OTRACK at the bottom. If you turn that off (like I do), everything's like normal and the way it's always been. If you turn it on, it's a new way to draw where the command line is practically pointless. [ThumbsDown] I swear, they are out of things to add and improve. Instead of fixing all of the bugs, they're trying to fix things that aren't broken. :rolleyes:
Posted by: 01SalsaXterra

Re: Free CAD program! - 27/07/05 12:17 PM

Got the email regarding early release, etc..
It should be fun to play with.. I cant believe they ad advertisements and an internet connection is required for use..screwed up..
I wonder if there will be a crack to remove that.

Quote:
If you turn it on, it's a new way to draw where the command line is practically pointless.
Oh man.. Some of the older architects at my office will be pissed if they phase out the command prompt..Its going to be interesting..
Thanks for the headsup..
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Free CAD program! - 27/07/05 12:37 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by 01SalsaXterra:
Got the email regarding early release, etc..
It should be fun to play with.. I cant believe they ad advertisements and an internet connection is required for use..screwed up..
I wonder if there will be a crack to remove that.
I saw that too... I wonder how many people will actually download it now that they realize how it's gonna be.

I'm not gonna bother with it, that's for sure.
Posted by: Todrick

Re: Free CAD program! - 01/08/05 11:04 AM

just got my email to download it.

im gonna wait till i see what people think... im not a fan of adware
Posted by: Rickster43

Re: Free CAD program! - 01/08/05 06:55 PM

Yup..got mine too...Has anybody Downloaded yet ?
Posted by: Samueul

Re: Free CAD program! - 01/08/05 08:40 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by 01SalsaXterra:
Anyone have experience with Autocad 2006 or Architectural Desktop 2006?
My office will be upgrading very soon, and I wanted to know if its much different from ADT 2005?
Any new bugs to look forward to?
Any cool features?
Thanks!!

BTW.. Some of the demos that the big CAD companies offer are fully functional except for save and print, but have no imbedded ads or anything weird..
I don't use it, but support it, network license manager etc. for my office. We have had a lot less calls in regards to it over 2005 which was a buggy mess. Just my experience.
Posted by: Xterrian

Re: Free CAD program! - 02/08/05 07:11 AM

Well, I downloaded it and tried to draw a few things.
1. The tutorial has different screenshots from some other product, probably the full featured program we were promised but didn't receive.

2. Cannot save the files in a format that is useful to me.

3. Completely non intuitive.

4. Uninstalled it and left an angry message on their message board.

I guess it's easy to give something away for free if it is worthless.
I have an 11 year old hobbiest program called 3D Design Plus that I paid $39.95 for and it is much easier to use and exports DXF files. I found it in the junk bin at Walmart. I've used it to design and make several items over the years. I will just stick with it since I won't be buying anything from Alibre and can't afford anyone else's stuff at the moment. I'll soon have a year to work on my own program. Maybe I'll add some advertisements to it and trick 100,000 people into registering for it and then cripple it just to frustrate them. Then again, maybe I'll just give it away and put Alibre out of business.
Posted by: Todrick

Re: Free CAD program! - 03/08/05 12:22 AM

i'd like to reserve my copy of "Xterrian 3D". Where do i sign up?
Posted by: Strider

Re: Free CAD program! - 03/08/05 09:06 AM

Quote:
posted July 22, 2005 05:40 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's like they say, if you have to give it away it's probably not worth having.

--------------------
"Is that even a road?" - My Wife
Like I said a couple of weeks ago..... laugh
Posted by: Xterrian

Re: Free CAD program! - 03/08/05 11:39 PM

Insert foot in mouth...

Greg Milliken wrote me after I complained on the Express site about not being able to export dxf files. He explained how to do it and it worked. I reinstalled and will use the program for a while before making further comments. I will still probably write my own program to go directly from 3D to G Code. I'll let you have any code I put together Todrick. It'll probably be a while before I have anything useful and it will just be for the home hobbyist.
Posted by: Todrick

Re: Free CAD program! - 04/08/05 02:02 AM

works for me as i am just a home hobbiest
Posted by: KJ_dragon

Re: Free CAD program! - 04/08/05 09:59 AM

What do you guys think of Civil 3D? My company just bought 1 copy of it and we're gonna spend the next few months playing with it.